Joe Berger - Pro Football Rumors

Vikings, Joe Berger Agree To Extension

September 10th, 2016 at 9:15am CST by Zachary Links

SATURDAY, 9:15am: Berger received a $915K roster bonus with the one-year extension, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The lineman is now due around $2MM in 2016 and $1MM in 2017 (not including incentives).

FRIDAY, 1:48pm: The Vikings announced that they have reached agreement on a one-year extension with center Joe Berger. Berger’s new contract is technically a two-year deal, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (on Twitter) which means it could include a slight bump for 2016. Berger is now under contract through the 2017 season.

Berger, entering his 12th NFL season, was rated by Pro Football Focus as one of the league’s top centers in 2015. This offseason, Berger won the starting job at center and made long-time starter John Sullivan expendable, leading to his release.

A sixth-round pick in the 2005 draft, Berger had two stints with the Dolphins and spent time with the Cowboys before joining the Vikings in 2011. Since then, Berger has appeared in 77 games and made 34 starts for Minnesota.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Eagles, Rams, Foles, Vikings

August 12th, 2016 at 5:48pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Eagles are making plans to find a replacement for right tackle Lane Johnson if his potential 10-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs becomes a reality, head coach Doug Pederson said after the team’s Thursday preseason opener. “It may be somebody that hasn’t played there this spring or this summer,” Pederson told Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It could be a guy who has already been there. We’ve got time to figure this out.”

Among the Eagles’ in-house options are Dennis Kelly and Matt Tobin – as Roster Resource shows – but Pederson isn’t overly enthusiastic about either faring well as a starter, per Hayes. Regardless, Pederson doesn’t expect to add anyone from outside the organization. “We’ve got the bodies,” he stated.

Johnson would be extremely difficult to replace, of course, having started in each of his 44 career appearances. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the 6-foot-6, 317-pounder 22nd among 77 qualified tackles in overall performance last season, and the Eagles subsequently awarded him a hefty extension through 2021.

NFC Notes: Berger, Bucs, Alexander, Eagles

November 28th, 2015 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

With starting center John Sullivan sidelined all year for the Vikings, veteran offensive lineman Joe Berger – rated by Pro Football Focus as one of the league’s top centers – has been invaluable for the team, writes Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune. Minnesota prioritized re-signing Berger in the offseason, and he was happy to return to the Vikings, even in a backup role.

Having played every offensive snap for the club this season, Berger is on track to earn an extra $400K in incentives if he continues that pace, and barring an injury, there’s no reason to believe he won’t. Sullivan suffered a setback and underwent another surgical procedure in October, and isn’t expected to return this season, so the center job looks like Berger’s for at least the rest of the year.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

Although he’s facing a four-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, Buccaneers linebacker Kwon Alexander looks likely to play in Sunday’s game against the Colts. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes that the NFL officially notified the team of Alexander’s suspension on Wednesday, giving him five days to appeal the ban, which he’s expected to do. By the time the appeal process plays out, Alexander may end up serving the penalty over the final four games of the regular season, assuming the suspension is upheld.
Buccaneers running back Doug Martin made comments this week suggesting he doesn’t like the idea that he’s having an excellent season because he’s in a contract year. However, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, teams may be wary of a repeat of DeMarco Murray‘s situation, so if Tampa Bay doesn’t franchise Martin or make a competitive offer, “the warning to everyone else will be implied.” For what it’s worth, the Bucs have indicated they want to retain the running back beyond the 2015 season.
If the Eagles decide to replace head coach Chip Kelly before the 2016 season, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News would be surprised if a new coach could come in and immediately transform the club into a playoff team. Of course, that just means that Kelly the general manager should be getting at least as much criticism as Kelly the coach, since he was responsible for many of the roster decisions that have depleted the club’s talent.
After consecutive 10-6 seasons, Kelly didn’t suddenly becoming a bad coach, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who points out that there are Super Bowl-winning coaches that succeeded after flaming out in their previous head coaching jobs. Like Bowen though, McLane questions Kelly as a general manager, writing that Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie will have to decide if replacing Kelly as GM and/or head coach is the answer.

NFC Notes: Eagles, Robinson, Cards, Vikes

May 2nd, 2015 at 7:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Though the draft is over, the Eagles want to add more players, according to head coach Chip Kelly, who says the club want to bring in more offensive lineman and a tight end to replace James Casey (Twitter link via Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com). Philadelphia could look to add UDFAs and/or veteran free agents in the coming weeks.

Let’s look at some more notes from the NFC:

Offensive tackle Corey Robinson says the Ravens, Dolphins, and Washington all called him with interest in signing him as a UDFA before he was chosen by the Lions, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Cardinals GM Steve Keim said he traded up for defensive lineman Rodney Gunter because he thought another team would take Gunter soon, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. That mystery team’s GM later confirmed to Keim that he would have selected Gunter had he been available, adds Urban.
Guard Joe Berger was the only free agent whom the Vikings had interest in retaining, Vikes GM Rick Speilman tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Berger did end up being the only Minnesota FA to stick around, inking a two-year deal. (The Vikings also re-signed defensive tackle Tom Johnson and long snapper Cullen Loeffler, but both technically signed before the start of free agency).
The 49ers drafted Blake Bell as a tight end, but the club thinks the former college quarterback could serve as an emergency QB in the NFL, per Matt Barrows of the San Francisco Bee (Twitter link), who adds that the presence of Bell could affect San Francisco’s roster construction.

Contract Details: Franklin, Kern, Cole, Vereen

March 10th, 2015 at 9:15pm CST by Luke Adams

A few details on some noteworthy new contracts from around the NFL:

Orlando Franklin, G (Chargers): Five years, $35.5MM base value. $15.5MM fully guaranteed at signing (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
Brett Kern, P (Titans): Five years, $15MM base value. $2.5MM signing bonus. $5MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com).
Trent Cole, OLB (Colts): Two years, $14MM base value. $2MM signing bonus. $8MM guaranteed at signing. $1MM annually in playing-time/sack incentives (Twitter links via Joel Corry of CBSSports.com).
Shane Vereen, RB (Giants): Three years, $12.3MM base value. $3.5MM signing bonus. $4.75MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
J.T. Thomas, LB (Giants): Three years, $10MM base value. $4.5MM guaranteed. $1MM annual escalators in 2016, 2017 (Twitter link via Wilson).
Virgil Green, TE (Broncos): Three years, $8.4MM base value. $4.2MM guaranteed. Max value of $11.25MM (Twitter link via Wilson).
Sergio Brown, S (Jaguars): Three years, $7MM base value. $1MM guaranteed. Escalators can push total value up to $9MM (Twitter link via Pelissero).
Ed Dickson, TE (Panthers): Three years, $6.8MM base value. $2MM signing bonus ($700K deferred) (Twitter link via Pelissero).
Joe Berger, OL (Vikings): Two years, $2.155MM base value. $130K guaranteed. $800K available in incentives (Twitter link via Pelissero).

Vikings Re-Sign Joe Berger

March 10th, 2015 at 3:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Following one of the most productive seasons of his career, Joe Berger will be staying in Minnesota. ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling tweets that the offensive lineman has agreed to a two-year contract with the Vikings.

Berger made nine starts for the Vikings in 2014, the most he’s started since his 2010 campaign with the Dolphins. The 32-year-old ultimately finished with 626 snaps in 2014, the fifth-highest total among Vikings offensive lineman. The versatile lineman earned Pro Football Focus’ fifth-highest rating among members of the Vikings offense, and he finished 29th among 78 offensive guard candidates in the entire league.

Free Agent Rumors: Melton, Parker, Graham

March 9th, 2015 at 11:48am CST by Zachary Links

The chase for defensive tackle Henry Melton is heating up, as Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports tweets. Melton has heard from six teams so far and he’s likely to take a few trips this week to visit with interested teams. The Cowboys declined Melton’s option in February after he compiled 15 tackles, five sacks, and four passes defended in 2014. His season ended in December when he was placed on IR with a serious bone bruise bordering on a fracture. Here’s the latest free agent news from around the league..

The Dolphins‘ interest in free agent safety Ron Parker is quite real, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets. However, they have some serious competition for his services as there are six to eight teams that stand as legitimate suitors for his services. We heard recently that the four-year veteran, who played corner and safety for the Chiefs last year, has drawn the eye of several teams, including the Giants, Jets, Buccaneers and Falcons. The Jets also have interest in Parker and he could be on the Eagles’ radar now that Devin McCourty is off the board.
Eagles free agent linebacker Brandon Graham is leaning towards the Dolphins and Titans, but now the Giants may make him an offer he can’t refuse, Derrick Gunn of CSNPhilly.com tweets. Pass rushing is thought to be a priority for the Giants this offseason. Recently, Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer speculated that Graham could net a deal north of $40MM in total value and $20MM in guarantees.
The Vikings still aren’t close on a deal with center Joe Berger, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com tweets. They’re working on one with restricted free agent running back Matt Asiata, however.
The Bears are currently targeting inside linebackers and safeties, Aaron Leming of BearReport.com tweets. He lists Mason Foster, Da’Norris Searcy, and Antrel Rolle as names to watch. Rolle is one of the Bears’ top targets and they appear to be the frontrunners for his services, Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com tweets.

North Notes: Webb, Peterson, Langford

March 3rd, 2015 at 9:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The question was never whether the Ravens would approach Lardarius Webb about a pay reduction, it was whether he would take one, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. Hensley runs through the different compromises the two sides could reach and ultimately concludes that the Ravens’ best outcome will be for the two sides to find some middle ground. Even if Webb agrees to a pay cut, however, his contract will be an issue next offseason. Baltimore can gain $6MM of cap room by releasing the cornerback in 2016. More from the North divisions..

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is scheduled to fly to Houston on Wednesday to meet with Adrian Peterson to discuss the embattled superstar’s future with the team, two people with knowledge of the plan told Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Vikings GM Rick Spielman is also expected to make the trip to participate in what would be the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides in months.
Kendall Langford‘s visit with the Lions went well but he’ll continue visiting other teams, according to Nick Wagoner of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). The former Rams defensive lineman will visit the Jets next, followed by the Saints. Langford, who turned 29 last month, inked a four-year, $22MM deal with the Rams in 2012 but was cut late last month.
Vikings linemen Tom Johnson and Joe Berger both played for the minimum salary last season and both are seeking raises this offseason, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Johnson’s agent says that the Vikings are his client’s first choice, but he’ll be seeking a three- or four-year deal in “the right situation and right system.” Johnson, 30, finished second on the team last season with 6.5 sacks.

NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Saints, Bears, Vikings

January 17th, 2015 at 8:43am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start off the morning by checking out some notes from the NFC…

David Newton says the Panthers rookie class this past season is arguably the best in team history. Four of the team’s six draft picks ultimately made it into the starting lineup, and Newton says the team’s only “miss” was sixth-rounder Tyler Gaffney.
While Newton believes Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman will pursue more than just value free agents, he can’t envision the team going after a top, offensive skill player. Instead, the writer suggests targeting a left tackle or a defensive lineman.
Mike Triplett gives a list of Saints player who may not return in 2015. Notably, the writer mentions linebackers David Hawthorne and Curtis Lofton, lineman Jonathan Goodwin and Jahri Evans, wideout Marques Colston and running back Mark Ingram.
Michael C. Wright can envision the Bears pursuing free agent Ndamukong Suh, but the defensive lineman’s expected contract may be too pricey for the organization.
The Vikings free agent most likely to receive a new contract is defensive tackle Tom Johnson, opines Ben Goessling. The writer could also see the team bringing back linebacker Jasper Brinkley and guard Joe Berger.

Vikings Notes: Berger, Johnson, Ponder, FAs

December 27th, 2014 at 9:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Vikings have at least a dozen potential free agents on their roster at the moment, though not all of those players will have the opportunity to reach the open market. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press spoke to several of those potential free-agents-to-be about their futures, so we’ll round up the notable comments right here:

Offensive lineman Joe Berger had been considering retirement, but may elect to continue his career after receiving plenty of playing time in the second half this season. “I’ve had fun playing and it’s been great the last eight, nine weeks, so I don’t know that [retirement] is what I’d want to do yet,” Berger said, adding that if he returns for an 11th season, he’d like to stay in Minnesota.
While Berger would be fine with another one-year contract, that’s not the case for defensive tackle Tom Johnson. “I’m trying to get more than a year deal somewhere,” Johnson said. “I want to go somewhere where I can pretty much end my career at. I got a couple of more years left in these legs.”
As Tomasson points out, Johnson may be the Vikings’ most sought-after free agent, but quarterback Christian Ponder will be the club’s biggest name available. Asked about what he’ll be looking for if he hits the open market, Ponder indicated that his top priority would be potential playing time. “Whether it’s (being with) a guy who is older and will be out of the league soon or a questionable quarterback situation where I can go in and compete,” Ponder said.
Linebacker Jasper Brinkley says he “definitely” wants to re-sign with the Vikings.
Of Minnesota’s two free agents, running back Matt Asiata is very likely to return, while tackle Mike Harris has a chance to be back, according to Tomasson.